Dr Kathryn Mannix
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drkathrynmannix.bsky.social
Dr Kathryn Mannix
@drkathrynmannix.bsky.social
5K followers 380 following 700 posts
Former palliative care doctor
Campaigning for better public understanding & conversations about dying
Writer: With The End In Mind & Listen
Speaker
Hopeful despite the circumstances.

www.kathrynmannix.com
Posts Replies Media Videos
drkathrynmannix.bsky.social
Today's moment of gratitude is for hands, seed trays and a veg patch.

I promise I have scrubbed myself clean since this photo 😁
My left hand, looking grimey with dirt under my nails, after a gardening session My veg patch with planted out seedlings: leeks, cabbages, lettuces, Chinese cabbage and spinach. Also lots of plant pots, old dustbins containing leaf mould, and a floor made golden by fallen beech leaves. The bottom of my garden. I rarely show anyone this wilderness! Trees with brilliant autumn leaves in the background: willows turning yellow, beech turning coppery orange. Our daughter's Wendy House(now the autumn apple store), and the chaos of plant pots, dustbins and other containers beside the two raised beds that now contain neat rows of veg seedlings.
November 12, 2025 at 3:25 PM
drkathrynmannix.bsky.social
On the brink...
October 21, 2025 at 6:12 PM
drkathrynmannix.bsky.social
Fancy joining our online CBT basics training?

Info and application via info.cbtbridgetochange@gmail.com

Feedback from past participants is very positive. Places fill quickly.

See you there?
October 19, 2025 at 5:58 PM
drkathrynmannix.bsky.social
Anyone else having trouble with spiders in the bath? I've put them all outside to find their pals, but look!
Shelob is trying to find them...

Bilbao. Awesome.
Spider the size of a house. Sculpture. Guggenheim Museum plaza, Bilbao. Long view of Bilbao Guggenheim Museum with spider statue. View across the river towards the beautiful Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao House spider the size of my palm, under a drinking glass. Origin: my bath. Destination: my garden.
October 14, 2025 at 9:24 PM
drkathrynmannix.bsky.social
Final edits.
Intensive tea consumption.
October 2, 2025 at 9:22 AM
drkathrynmannix.bsky.social
First draft.
Third book.
Lots still to be done, but it's time for tea.
#AmWriting
September 6, 2025 at 5:32 PM
drkathrynmannix.bsky.social
Telling our birth & death stories matters.
It helps us understand what happened.
It enables others to know more.
It normalises these important life events.
It moves emotionally profound experiences to the safe storage of autobiographical memory.
We can help by listening.
@virtualhospice.bsky.social
July 31, 2025 at 8:17 PM
drkathrynmannix.bsky.social
Isn't this lovely?
An unexpected & beautiful gift from #IndependentBookshopOfTheYear The Heath.
Thanks to Catherine & Claire for being champions of my books,& for support during #DyingMattersWeek in May.
Find them here:
linktr.ee/theheathbook...
A small, wooden bookmark, engraved with a flower, the name of 'The Heath Bookshop', my name, and the date of our book event. It's shaped like a luggage tag and hung on a navy ribbon.
June 13, 2025 at 7:52 AM
drkathrynmannix.bsky.social
Well, this is a moment.
I've been invited by my College to give a keynote.
They've arranged a book signing, too.
Does this mean I'm a grownup now?

Thank you, @rcphysicians.bsky.social - Wonderful to visit The Spine at last.

Thanks @Waterstones Liverpool.

More in *alt text.
I'm sitting in front of a huge electronic poster announcing 'Keynote speaker: Dr Kathryn Mannix book sale and signing. Am I smiling? You bet! A view from 12th floor of The Spine in Liverpool, looking across the roofs of smaller tower blocks towards Hope Street, with the two cathedrals at either end of it. The River Mersey and The Wirral lie beyond. This is the land of my birth.
June 12, 2025 at 9:39 AM
drkathrynmannix.bsky.social
The following day, more peonies than I have ever seen in my life were delivered to my door by a florist's van. They took up every vase in my home, posing in their frilly glory on window ledges, tables and sideboard, glowing and gorgeous. They lasted for weeks.
Close-up photo of a deep pink peony flower, all its silken petals curling over their inner neighbours as though to hide the secret at its centre.
June 6, 2025 at 10:08 PM
drkathrynmannix.bsky.social
Did I tell you that I was once paid in peonies?

After talking with someone looking for advice about preparing for the last part of their beloved's life, they were surprised that I didn't want payment.
Close-up photo of full-blown pink peonies and one peony bud. They are frilly and multilayered and shine like crumpled silk.
June 6, 2025 at 10:08 PM
drkathrynmannix.bsky.social
#PalliativeCare pals, I am planning my trip to speak at #EndWell2025.
LA is a far from home, so I want to make the most of being there.
To whom should I reach out?
Who are our palliative pals over there?
Advise me so I can learn from them & offer my support to them.

Join us: bit.ly/EndWellTix
A poster for End Well 2025 showing beautiful Tembi Locke on stage as last year's co-host. She is wearing a gorgeous green dress, and she is smiling. My captions read: 'I'm coming to LA in November!' and 'Who should I visit while I'm in the area?' A photograph of me from the End Well website, with the caption 'Dr Kathryn Mannix, Palliative Care Physician, Author.' I'm smiling. Even though I hate having my photo taken.
May 29, 2025 at 9:08 PM
drkathrynmannix.bsky.social
A brilliant day at Discovery Museum.
Good to see @northeastmuseums.bsky.social have kept entrance free, & 'pay it forward' beverages for weary child-wranglers (or anyone) available to pick up if you need one, no questions asked, in the cafe.
Happy half term, everyone.
May 26, 2025 at 8:16 PM
drkathrynmannix.bsky.social
Sometimes, we just need to stop and stare.
May 22, 2025 at 5:18 PM
drkathrynmannix.bsky.social
I'm frequently asked, often by worried healthcare students, whether it's 'wrong' to show our emotions when we are supporting patients & their beloveds through difficult times, unwelcome news, anticipatory grief & deep sorrow.

Here's my experience:
🧵

#TheTearfulHelper #PalliativeCare #EndOfLifeCare
May 19, 2025 at 9:30 PM
drkathrynmannix.bsky.social
My Tyneside pals, this will be fascinating.
An insight into organising for change, empowering & encouraging citizens' agency, via @citizensuk.org & a community in North Tyneside.
Documented by photographer Tom Quibell.
Launch event on 6th June is free, but please book via bit.ly/AllRiseTalk
All Rise event poster: a smiling girl in a blue party dress and black boots with her hair in braids is photographed mid-jump, in a community hall. The title is ALL RISE: a photography exhibition. Words inviting you to check out Tom Quibell's photography exhibition 'All Rise' Paragraph describing the project, reads: "This project pulls together images from St Cuthbert’s and St Joseph’s Parish in North Tyneside, telling stories of how lives are being changed through the association with Citizens UK. People engaging with local and national issues, in big and small ways, in personal growth and agency, connected to the principles of community organising through Fr Chris. This exhibition will showcase how powerful ordinary people can be when they organise for change, I hope I have created images that reflect reality, emotion, and something of the essence of this North Tyneside Parish." Info about attending the launch event or visiting the exhibition of photographs, reads: "Entrance is free, but we encourage you to register for a ticket through Eventbrite, if attending the launch event, by clicking on the adjacent button and cometing a few simple details. The exhibition will continue to showcase in the Parish Hall on the follow dates and times at no cost: Saturday 7 June 10.00am – 4.00pm Sunday 8 June 12.00noon – 4.00pm Wednesday 11 June 10.00am – 4.00pm Saturday 14 June 10.00am – 4.00pm Sunday 15 June 12.00noon – 4.00pm Wednesday 18 June 10.00am – 4.00pm"
May 18, 2025 at 5:44 PM
drkathrynmannix.bsky.social
That's delightful! I love the glow of sunshine through new leaves. And that pond is stunning, with the illumination of the waterlily leaves beneath the surface: a Monet moment.
Detail of one of Monet's water lily paintings, showing leaves and flowers on the surface of his pond at Giverny, and the sun catching leaves that are under the surface. It's strikingly similar to the photograph of water lilies on a pond that my friend Donna has posted in the thread I'm responding to.
May 18, 2025 at 11:22 AM
drkathrynmannix.bsky.social
Bluepals, this Writer Event promises to be illuminating, poignant & uplifting. I'm very sad I can't be there, but these gifted writers will make you glad you came.
Thursday 22nd, Backstory Books, Balham High Road, 7pm.
You can thank me later😊
@michaelerard.bsky.social @malwinagudowska.bsky.social
Poster for Author Event with photos of the three writers and their books.
May 13, 2025 at 4:10 PM
drkathrynmannix.bsky.social
May 9, 2025 at 8:45 AM
drkathrynmannix.bsky.social
Sending you so much love, Emily.
What ripples are being created by Neve's life and death!
Thank you for the Red Bike Moment story. It's helping clinicians in the UK, Canada & New Zealand so far.
Painting by Emily Tammam of the unfilled outline of her daughter Neve, sitting on her new red two-wheeler bike, beside a story about Neve's brain tumour nurse specialist telling Emily that she should prioritise fulfilling her promise to give Neve a Big Girl bike. In this way, Emily came to understand that Neve's prognosis was short, that time was precious. Emily has allowed me to use this story to encourage healthcare professionals to share unwelcome news by telling the truth with kindness.
April 30, 2025 at 6:04 PM
drkathrynmannix.bsky.social
I'm a lover not a fighter, but I know this is fighting talk:
why is rest and restoration time for healthcare staff not included in their contracted time?
Machines are treated better than humans in this dehumanising system.
Time to ask why.
April 20, 2025 at 6:15 PM
drkathrynmannix.bsky.social
Delighted & honoured to be invited to speak at End Well 2025.
Looking forward to meeting many members of our EoL-demystifying family in LA in November.
If you'd like to join us, early bird booking is open.

bit.ly/EndWell2025
April 11, 2025 at 6:21 PM
drkathrynmannix.bsky.social
Does your role include care of people towards the end of their lives at home, in hospital or care homes?
This looks good:
my pals at Harlington Hospice invite you to join them for an updates day on 18th June.
Apply here www.harlingtonhospice.org/conference/
April 8, 2025 at 6:49 AM
drkathrynmannix.bsky.social
Jet-lag error: I've forgotten to invite you all to Durham on Wednesday evening.
£10 ticket includes a drinks reception.
Book via the conference link, to reach separate tickets for the public event. Or come to the whole conference to contemplate 'Closure.'
pay.durham.ac.uk/event-durham...
April 5, 2025 at 11:05 AM
drkathrynmannix.bsky.social
I want to tell you all about the joyous experience of my 4 week lecture tour in New Zealand, but I'm still too tired.
Here's a selection of the wide and wonderful Kiwi skies to be going on with until my body clock recovers.
Orange skies over Auckland Airport. Pink sunset glow with moon over the harbour in Wellington. Wide skies above the Mount Thomas mountains in Otago, taken from the farmland below. Candyfloss pink sunset at Tūrangi.
April 4, 2025 at 11:44 AM